Renegades/Four
FOUR luke LUKE WISHED he hadn’t gone back for Anika. But the moment he left her standing at the edge of Pine sector, Luke had felt the change in the air and knew something was wrong. He hadn’t been able to shut down on his instincts to save her, just like he had with the Razorclaws. Luke had dismissed that fight with his smarting pride and his need to beat the Razorclaws off his territory. He didn’t tolerate trespassing and certainly needed to keep order with the gangs in the Alley. But this time Luke knew it was his fault that he had come back. Anika was uncharacteristically silent next to him. Even back then, she had been prone to jabbering on their walks, intent on solving whatever puzzle was in her head at the time. She had matured in the ten moons she had been away, and lapsed into silence more often than not. Luke couldn’t help himself. “What clue did you find?” Anika didn’t even glance at him, her brow furrowed in concentration. “There’s no clue.” Luke felt the pang of disappointment even though he didn’t particularly want to be part of this case. “You found nothing?” His tone was sharper than he would have liked. “You said yourself there wasn’t anything,” Anika said quietly. The light gray tom stiffened, hearing the jab in her voice. She was testing him, seeing how much he really cared. “What was the clue, Anika? I know you found something, or else you wouldn’t have stayed there for so long.” “Oh really?” Anika’s eyes flashed. They were nearly to the Renegades’ den, though Luke fought his resentment at his own inability to stay away from the calico she-cat. “You didn’t think I stayed there simply because I wanted to rekindle our friendship? You didn’t think I didn’t care about you?” Luke stayed silent until they entered the worn down den. Anika turned on him then, ignoring the rest of the gang who had risen when Luke had entered. “Do you want to know what happened to make me come back, Luke? It wasn’t the murders; I could actually care less about those. It’s about us.” He bared his teeth, suddenly furious. “If this is about us, Anika, then you wouldn’t have left in the first place.” “I was trying to protect you! You don’t understand,” she lashed her tail, “someone was hunting me. Someone came after me even when I went into the forest to hide out. Someone came and slaughtered my friends.” His breath hitched in surprise and horror. Anika didn’t let him say anything as she pressed. “I will never forget betraying you and how much it hurt to leave you. But what I do know is that someone is still hunting me and possibly hunting you as well. These murders aren’t about Ghost Town, but rather about us. It’s always been about us.” She turned and stalked into the den Luke had given her yesterday without another word. Luke stared after her for a long moment before Syora gave an appreciative whistle. “I didn’t know you back then, Luke, but you must have had some charm if you could capture her attention.” The light gray tom just shot his Second a scathing look. “Reya, Seth, go hunting.” The two siblings slipped out the den without another word. “What’s going on, boss?” The pure black tom curled up in the corner raised his head and golden eyes pinned Luke in place. “First time you bring a she-cat back to the den and all she does is bite your head off. As much as I love the entertainment, I want to know when we’ll have some peace.” “Don’t tell me you don’t like having pretty she-cats around,” Syora batted her eyelashes at the tom. “When’s the last time you had a lover, Finn?” The black tom rolled his eyes before stretching. “I’m not touching a hair on that she-cat’s pelt or Luke will have my head.” “We’re not together,” Luke snapped sharply. “But don’t touch her anyway.” Finn gave Syora a look that read, what did I tell you? Luke was saved by having to answer when the last member of the crew stretched and sat up. “Didn’t know you were one of the prodigies solving the murders all those moons ago,” Kylie looked at him with her piercing green eyes, “when were you going to tell us?” “Never.” Luke looked away. “It wasn’t important.” “Wasn’t important?” Syora echoed, her voice suddenly bitter, “Luke, I think we all should have been told way before this happened.” “You’re one to talk.” Luke shot back. Syora sneered and looked away. Finn sighed. “We didn’t press before, Luke, because you’re our gang leader and we respect your privacy. But what were you planning on doing with that she-cat? Investigate with just the two of you? You obviously need more backup than that if what she said was true.” “I’m not going to involve you guys.” Luke growled. “Why not?” Syora tossed her head. “We’re not good enough for you?” Luke flattened his ears and looked away. “Look, it doesn’t matter if I was one of the prodigies. Or that Anika was my partner. I don’t—I’m not that anymore.” Finn rolled his eyes. “Sorry to break your protective shell, Luke, but you’re kind of one of the smartest cats in Ghost Town. Everyone heard about the cats who caught the murderer. Prodigies, geniuses, heroes, whatever you want to call it, Luke, you don’t just stop being that.” Luke laughed, a harsh one that Finn probably didn’t deserve. “Oh really?” He waved his paw that had the three-claw scar on it. “''This'' is proof that I am not a hero.” Kylie only licked her paw. “We all have that scar, Luke, but we aren’t villains either.” “He means that I turned him in.” Anika was suddenly at her den’s entrance again. “We didn’t solve the case; I turned him in and ran.” The three of them gaped. Luke felt a little cornered. He didn’t like unearthing his past, and he certainly didn’t need Syora and the others to know about it. What did it matter if he had been a genius? It hadn’t done him any good in the end anyway. He turned so he was facing the calico she-cat, and she stared back at him, her amber eyes smoldering. For a few heartbeats, no one said a word, but then Anika turned and disappeared back into her den. Finn let out an audible sigh. “You know what? Even without Luke fawning after her, I wouldn’t touch a hair on her pelt. She’s tougher than claws.” “As if you don’t like the challenge.” Syora simpered. “I’m going to get some fresh air.” Luke said, stalking outside. He ignored his gang members who stared after him. The den had become too stuffy, too small, even for him. “Luke, wait.” Syora ran after him. “What do you want?” He couldn’t help but growl. “We don’t mean to pry in your business,” Syora began, “because you’re our leader. But--” “Why is there a ‘but’?” Luke walked a little faster. He was headed for the spot where Anika had found the clue, hoping he could find something himself. “I don’t see how my past is relevant to now. The five of you are excused from doing anything. This is between me and Anika.” “Don’t be so dense, Luke. You’re our gang leader; we’ll follow you anywhere. But to do so, we need to know you. You’re not protecting us by hiding your secrets and letting us run headfirst into it.” “And I shouldn’t be able to trust you without knowing who you were in the past but I don’t ask you to tell me.” Luke whirled around and stared at his Second. “Syora, you of all cats should have known this.” She didn’t back down. “Luke…my mom tried to kill me. Hated me because I was so like my father. So I killed her and ran out of self-defense and landed myself in prison. I vowed to never take a life again when I escaped but when I met you, Luke, you convinced me I could do it again for justice. Isn’t that what we’re about? Renegades: that’s what we are, but that’s not what we have to be.” Luke blinked in surprise. He hadn’t expected Syora to tell him everything. “I…” She looked away. “You don’t have to say anything.” “I’m sorry.” He said, even though he knew those words never did anything. Syora just nodded once. “Luke.” The gray tom snapped his head up at the familiar voice. He ran his eyes over the black tom’s pelt and met his yellow eyes. He dipped his head slightly. “Zeke, it’s good to see you again.” “And you,” Zeke nodded to him with more respect than Luke would have thought. “What are you doing in Rose?” “Reminiscing old times,” Luke shrugged, “taking she-cats on walks.” Once upon a time, Luke would have considered Syora as a mate, but he hadn’t been able to think of another she-cat that way because Anika had never left his mind. It seemed his fate was always tied with hers. Zeke’s whiskers twitched. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you around without Anika.” Luke stiffened slightly. “Well it has been ten moons.” “You’ve seen her then.” Nothing, Luke thought ruefully, escaped the captain’s eye. It was one of the reasons why Luke had respected him. He wondered if he should have told Zeke the truth, considering the captain was the reason why Anika knew about the recent murders. “I have to be going,” Luke said, purposely avoiding his statement. “Of course,” Zeke smiled politely, though he seemed to know that Luke wasn’t just taking a stroll through Rose. Luke pointed his feet back towards the den, knowing he really shouldn’t go through any rich sector area without Anika. At least with her they could pretend to be rich folk. Syora wasn’t much of an actor. Luke got a few steps before Zeke called out to him. “For what it’s worth—I’m sorry, Luke, about everything.” He turned, slightly, and stared at the captain. Zeke met his eyes evenly, and Luke knew exactly what he was talking about. “It wasn’t your fault.” He said, because Zeke hadn’t really been involved in the murder case at all. “No,” he agreed, “but it didn’t have to be this way. I wish I had known sooner and helped stop it.” Stop her. Luke wondered if Zeke knew what Anika had done. “You couldn’t have done anything anyway.” Luke shook his head. Zeke’s eyes softened. “Be gentle with her.” Luke wanted to snarl that he didn’t have to be anything with Anika, considering all she had made him suffer. But the captain saved him from having to say anything because he turned and padded away. Luke stared after him, wondering if the captain had helped pulled strings to keep the police from caring about Luke’s escape from prison. ~ Anika was asleep when Luke returned to the den, and he paused at the entrance, unsure if he should enter. Be gentle with her. Zeke’s words repeated themselves in his head and he padded into her den. Living in the forest had made her more aware and the calico she-cat jerked awake the moment Luke entered. “What?” She narrowed her eyes. “Did something happen?” “No,” Luke shook his head, “nothing has happened.” Anika relaxed, but only barely. “Then what--?” “You never told me what the clue was.” Luke blurted out, because he didn’t know what else to say. He didn’t know how to explain to her that he was here because he couldn’t stay away. He wanted to lay down next to her and feel her warmth and know that she was safe with him. But he wasn’t safe. Logically he knew the longer she stayed here, the easier it was for other gangs to target her. She was his one weak link, and Luke knew that if anything happened to her, he would tear down the world. Did you even love me? Luke didn’t know what had spurred him to spit out those words to her, when it was obvious she no longer cared for him, if she did at all. Something flickered in her eyes. “You woke me up to ask about the clue?” Guilt, and something else, fluttered in his stomach. “It could be important; I don’t want to be caught unawares in my sleep because you forgot to mention something.” “I’m not naïve,” Anika snapped, “It wasn’t much anyway: shredded grass, torn mud, tufts of fur.” “Any scents?” The calico she-cat shot him a look that read, Who do you think I am? Luke fought the urge to smile a little at that. This wasn’t anything abnormal after all; Luke was always one to grill all the details out of a clue, even if it was obvious. He didn’t want to miss anything. “None.” She frowned, “It must have happened long before I came back.” “In Pine sector? I would have heard about a fight. The police monitor anything unusual that happens in the rich sectors.” “Maybe it wasn’t rich folk fighting.” Anika reasoned. “Could have easily been Alley cats on the wrong side of the border.” “An alarm would have been raised about Alley rats in rich sectors anyway.” Luke flicked his tail. “I saw Zeke today.” Anika blinked. “You went back to Rose just now? Why?” “To look for more,” Luke shook his head. “I bumped into him on the way to the site, however, so I turned back. It’ll be easier to go through the rich sectors if you’re with me.” The calico she-cat snorted. “I don’t have any real name or status to prove that I was one of them once. It’ll be as if you’re with any of your gang members. What did Zeke want with you anyway?” “Wrong. You don’t have these.” Luke waved his left paw. Anika looked away and Luke felt a thrill of satisfaction that she was guilty. “Zeke only wanted to know why I was in Rose.” “With reason,” Anika stretched and sat up fully. “Aren’t you worried about him knowing?” “Not particularly,” Luke met her gaze evenly. “He hasn’t turned me in to the police even though he knew I was in the Alley. And I think he could easily be someone we can trust in that side of Ghost Town. It’ll be easier for us to get information this way.” Before, Anika would have easily gotten the information they needed from the rich sectors while Luke scouted the Alley. With both of them here, however, Luke needed another informant. He didn’t want to ask this of the Rose captain, but the tom was friends with Anika and Luke was certain he would be willing. “We’ll be putting Zeke in danger,” Anika protested, catching on to his train of thoughts, “we can’t ask that of him.” “I am risking my gang for this,” Luke resisted the urge to unsheathe his claws. “We’ll send Syora to get information from him. That way the captain won’t be linked to us.” “I won’t risk it.” “If the hunters are really watching us, Anika, they would have known about your friendship with the captain. We used to see him around all the time when we younger. They killed Kiri; do you really think they’ll have forgotten about Zeke?” “We have to let him choose.” Anika insisted. “Like you let me choose?” Luke stood up, glaring at her. She glared back. “You chose, Luke, over and over. Don’t lie to me and say you’re only here because you want me to go. You don’t have to get involved. If you forced me out, it wasn’t as if the hunters would come after you anymore. You could save this gang. But no, you chose to be here too. So don’t give me that.” “You make it sound like I chose you.” Luke snarled, but in the bottom of his heart, he knew he did. Anika didn’t break her gaze. “Maybe I chose you too.” Luke couldn’t help but snort. “If you did, we wouldn’t be here right now.” He turned and walked out of her den, feeling none of the satisfaction he thought he would get from talking to her. Category:Fan Fictions Category:Cchen3's Fanfics Category:Renegades